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ABOUT NGĀI TAHU–ABOUT NEW ZEALAND–ABOUT YOU KANA/SPRING 2017 $7.95 75
Settlement Pēpi
TE TĪMATANGA O TE KERĒME – WAI27 • THE NGĀI TAHU
TREATY SETTLEMENT WITH THE CROWN: KEY PLAYERS
AND BACKGROUND • POST SETTLEMENT – THE JOURNEY SO FAR •
KELVIN ANGLEM: A GOOD MAN • TE KERĒME – A REFLECTION
BY TĀ TIPENE O’REGAN • DOUBLE OSCAR WINNER HAMMOND PEEK •
THE SOUTH ISLAND LANDLESS NATIVES ACT (SILNA) 1906 –
HISTORY AND UNRESOLVED TENSIONS •
WHITE MAN’S BURDEN REVISITED
O D O W N L O AD
OW A V A I L A BLE T C ES
N RO I D D E V I
A P P L E A N D AND
ON laying p
th e a rt is t a n d song title as it’s
the name of ge to te reo M
aori
It will tell you g e th e la n g u a
even chan
LIVE - you can
A D I T N OW
DOWNLO
ii TE KARAKA KANA 2017
KANA/SPRING 2017 74
10 TE TĪMATANGA O TE KERĒME – WAI27
Dr Te Maire Tau provides an introduction to the recollections of his late father,
Rakiihia Tau (Snr). In 1986 Rakiihia filed the Ngāi Tahu Claim with the Waitangi NGĀ HAU
Tribunal and was heavily involved in the negotiation processes. Thanks to his E WHĀ
detailed recording of these events and the generosity of his whānau we are FROM THE
EDITOR
able to share Rakiihia’s account of this significant time.
10
This year marks 20 years since the signing of
the Deed of Settlement, a defining moment
in a journey of over 150 years, which brought
an end to the pain and struggle of a griev-
ing people. And with this closure came a
new beginning, with $170m plus add-ons
in the bank and a newly formed organisa-
tional structure to manage the settlement.
However, in celebrating this milestone, it is
important to reflect on where this last part
of the journey began – the lodgement of the
claim some 11 years earlier.
In this settlement-focused special edition
we are privileged to have a first-hand account
from the late Rakiihia Tau (Snr) who was
responsible for the lodgement of WAI27, the
Ngāi Tahu Claim in 1986 and the subsequent
establishment of the A-Team negotiators.
Heartfelt thanks to Te Maire Tau for allow-
ing the publication of his father’s personal
recordings.
Claim negotiator and tribal rangatira
Tā Tipene O’Regan, provides a challenging
and thought-provoking account (page 32)
of whether the original vision of those nego-
tiators for a post settlement Ngāi Tahu has
been realised and where things might be
falling short.
16 SETTLEMENT PĒPI And while there will always be a range of
Twenty years after the signing of the Deed of Settlement there is a generation views and opinions on the post settlement
of rangatahi who have grown up in a post settlement world. Kaituhi Anna Brankin success (or not), there really is no deny-
talks to four of these rangatahi about the opportunities they have received – ing that on the face of it, the results speak
or not – and their vision for the future. for themselves – well certainly economi-
cally. But let’s not get stuck in the jour-
20 THE NGĀI TAHU TREATY SETTLEMENT ney thus far – what is the tribal vision for
WITH THE CROWN: KEY PLAYERS AND the next 20 years and beyond? A desire to
restore rangatiratanga was at the heart of
BACKGROUND Te Kerēme. Today, how do we ensure that
Dr Martin Fisher of the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre unpacks the Ngāi Tahu our young and burgeoning population have
Settlement, outlining the details of the negotiations and eventual settlement. the good health, education and employment
opportunities to allow them to determine
22 POST SETTLEMENT – THE JOURNEY SO FAR their own paths? On page 16 Anna Brankin
We reflect on the last twenty years and highlight just a handful of the milestones talks to four rangatahi born in 1997 who
that Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has celebrated since settlement. Nā Anna Brankin. share their perspective on what it means for
them to have been born post settlement and
26 A GOOD MAN their aspirations for the future.
The late Kelvin Anglem was the first kaiwhakahaere of Ngāi Tahu, when it was Nā ADRIENNE ANDERSON
known as Te Rūnanganui o Tahu. Kaituhi Dan Bartlett talks to Kelvin’s friends
and whānau about his life and his dedication to the iwi.
TE
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If subscribing as a gift please provide your ACT 1906 – HISTORY AND UNRESOLVED
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TENSIONS
The South Island Landless Natives Act 1906 (SILNA) was created to alleviate the
Recipient’s name poverty caused to Ngāi Tahu by loss of land and the Crown’s failure to meet
Address their obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. Kaituhi Renata Davis explores the
history of SILNA including a number of issues which remain outstanding today.
Postcode 44 WHITE MAN’S BURDEN REVISITED
Kaituhi Mark Revington writes about identity and the struggle of non-Māori
Daytime phone New Zealanders to find their sense of self. Originally written 16 years ago
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personal thoughts.
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36 TE AO O TE MĀORI Te Waipounamu Māori Girls’ College
TE KARAKA is published quarterly in March, 50 HEI MAHI MĀRA Spring and the Beginning of a Mini Ice Age
July, September and December, so your first
subscription magazine will be the next 52 REVIEWS Black Marks on the White Page and more
published issue. 56 HE TANGATA Jane Davis
2 2 TE KARAKA KANA 2017
EDITORIAL TEAM
Phil Tumataroa MANAGING EDITOR
Adrienne Anderson EDITOR
Anna Brankin ASSISTANT EDITOR
Diana Leufkens SUB EDITOR
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CONTRIBUTORS
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, Gerry Te Kapa Coates Jane Davis
TE RŪNANGA O NGĀI TAHU Renata Davis
Martin Fisher
Michael Deacon
Ward Kamo
ARIHIA BENNETT Max Moffat Arielle Monk
Thomas Aerepo-Morgan Tā Tipene O’Regan
Aloise Reuben Mark Revington
ARE WE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? Nuku Tau Dr Te Maire Tau
Recently I met the 20 Ngāi Tahu rangatahi preparing to head off on the trip of a life- The late Rakiihia Tau (Snr) Fern Whitau
time to Silicon Valley. The room was buzzing with chatter until they all broke into a DESIGN
waiata rendition of Manu Tiria. Meeting these rangatahi took me way back to a similar La Fábrica Design Studio
experience as a 13-year-old. The only difference was that we were preparing to head
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to Wellington to visit Parliament and our waiata was the Anglican school hymn. Roll
Pam Graham: pgraham@tekaraka.co.nz
forward many decades and our young people are international travelling ambassadors
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Spectrum Print – Blue Star Business
In recent years I have become increasingly passionate about driving our rangatahi
into the spotlight, especially when it comes to the future development of technology, PUBLISHER
STEM and innovation. This is naturally the domain of young people as they are the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
PO Box 13 046
beacons of social connectivity and are well attuned to using the tools to maximise the
Christchurch 8141
benefits that meet their youthful needs. Phone 03 974 0177
This is our second group heading off to San Francisco and it is now clear that a Fax 03 365 4424
rangatahi movement is forming – they are fast becoming ready to tell us whether Send contributions and letters to the editor to:
the iwi is heading in the right direction or not. Having a view and voicing an opinion The Editor
is exactly what we want as young people should be the designers of their future, not TE KARAKA
bystanders or passengers, so I am determined to ensure that a one-off experience to PO Box 13 046
the USA is not just a one-hit wonder – we must keep them engaged. Christchurch 8141
tekaraka@ngaitahu.iwi.nz
This journey is well timed with the work that the leadership of Te Rūnanga is
currently undertaking. Throughout this year there has been a series of wānanga where © 1995 The entire contents of TE KARAKA are copyright
and may not be reproduced in any form either in part
Te Rūnanga has openly reflected and seriously looked at itself – the good, the bad and or in whole without the written permission of the
the ugly. They have mapped its course over the past 20 years and there is now an invig- publisher. All letters addressed to TE KARAKA will be
orated sense of enthusiasm for looking ahead to ensure that we are relevant and adapt- assumed intended for publication unless clearly marked
able to change. Intergenerational outcomes remain at the forefront and we are taking “Not for Publication”.
on board our changing societal needs while preserving and protecting our traditional Opinions expressed in TE KARAKA are those of the
tikanga practices. writers and are not necessarily endorsed by
There is an openness and willingness to work together in our communities and this Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
includes finding a place for the collective voice of our rangatahi to be heard and taken Issue 75 published September 2017
notice of. There may be a bit of tweaking required but I feel that the sentiment is posi- © Ngāi Tahu Publications Limited
tively anchored in moving to a desired future state. We have no shortage of rangatahi ISSN N0. 1173/6011
engaging across many Ngāi Tahutanga activities so I do see that they will have a criti- Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has used Blue Star Group,
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FRONT COVER
Settlement Pēpi: rangatahi
who have grown up in a
post settlement world
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TE KARAKA KANA 2017 3
WHENUA 4 TE KARAKA KANA 2017
Otago Harbour Ōtākou was the name for a channel that ran down the eastern (southern) side of the
Otago Harbour from the mouth to Harwood Point, past the whaling station site and main Māori villages.
Aramoana ran down the western (northern) side through to Port Chalmers. Today the name Ōtākou
specifically refers to the small Kāi Tahu kāika situated on the Otago Peninsula near the harbour’s entrance.
When the Weller brothers from England established a whaling settlement on the Peninsula in the 1830s,
it became known to the whalers as Ōtākou, which was then later adopted by the wider region as “Otago”.
PHOTOGRAPH: TONY BRIDGE
TE KARAKA KANA 2017 5
Nā NUKU TAU
Wai ora – we need to do better!
In light of the 20th anniversary of the Fast-forward to today and there is still This is still everyone’s problem, regard-
Settlement of the Ngāi Tahu claim, whitebait in the Ashley, and there are still less of who you are. I have often seen people
I thought it relevant to write on another people to catch it. However, there are days fish the banned spawning grounds at the
issue Ngāi Tahu faces in terms of rights and when all you leave the river with is an empty Ashley with no regard for tomorrow.
property – water. Water is the most precious net, sunburn, and an extreme sense of Kiwi My main message is that we all need to do
resource on Earth, and I think everyone shame. There is also the lingering scent of better. We all need to become water warriors.
can agree we don’t value it to the extent cow faeces in your nostrils as the Ashley I like to whitebait. I like lying in the grass
we should. Recently I was asked to give a River reeks of it on sunny days. My pōua Noel with a book and my headphones, or watch-
speech to Environment Canterbury (ECAN) says the river is slowly choking. ing the sun rise on the banks. I like the idea
workers and answer questions on a panel. I remember when I was 10 we took two of catching my own food and eating it that
The following is the speech I gave on rivers boys home for a bath because they smelt so day. It’s an experience I want my kids to have,
and the issues with our current legislation bad. When I asked them why, they explained just like my ancestors had before me. The
around water. that when they stick their heads in the net, Ashley, Lake Ellesmere, and all the other
the water is mixed with cow faeces and it water bodies of New Zealand are precious
When I was asked to give a three-minute dried in their hair. To them this was natural. taonga and we all need to treat them that
speech on water, I had no idea what to I consider it anything but. Reeking of cow way. Nothing exists without water. There is
discuss or say. If I’m to be speaking to ECAN shit should not be a regular part of whitebait- arguably nothing more important than water
reps, what’s the point of giving facts and ing with your family. on the planet. We can all do better.
figures when I’m either talking to someone The Crown says no one owns water, so if
who wrote them, or knows them because it’s they don’t own it, surely they don’t have the
part of their job to know them? right to allocate water through the Resource
I don’t think anyone really wants a high Management Act? I agree the Crown doesn’t
schooler to take the stage and regurgitate own the water, because under the 1848
knowledge to more well-informed people. Canterbury Purchase it was never sold.
So I decided to go with some good old-fash- In my view this vagueness around
ioned anecdotal evidence – stories passed assumed rights is the reason why we are
down. failing in how we properly deal with water.
Anecdotal evidence is widely considered Pollutants from intensive farming and storm
to be logical fallacy. However, I felt it was the water in towns are hitting irreversible highs.
best thing I could bring to the table. As a boy It’s the tragedy of the commons – no one
who has grown up in Tuahiwi and explored takes responsibility for property held in
many parts of Canterbury in the pursuit of common. We take water for granted, and our
mahinga kai, I do have some, admittedly collective in-action means my generation
limited, experience. inherits a mess.
My first story is one given to me by On our muttonbird island Pohowaitai,
my pōua Rik Tau. Anyone who knew him everyone conserves water because we all
would know that like many grandfathers, he depend on the water we get off the roof.
certainly wasn’t above adding a little GST to No one wastes it.
his stories, especially around fish. However, We need a system that makes people pay
this is one I’ve heard from many elders for use and pay dearly for abuse and wast-
around the pā. age. No corporate body should ever own
As a child, he would go down to the Ashley water, and the granting of consents should
and with a stick herd shoals of whitebait into be weighted on public versus private use.
a net. There was always enough and it was A foreign water bottling firm in Belfast
easily caught. This process took minutes can pump 4.32 million litres a day, roughly
and the whole extended family could easily equivalent to the water usage of the city’s Nuku (aged about 10) with his Uncle Maru
be fed. biggest suburb, Riccarton. The firm will happy with their catch.
Maybe there weren’t shoals and maybe it likely pay nothing or very little for their use
wasn’t as quick as stated, but when I talk to of this precious, pure, and globally-prized Eighteen-year-old Nuku Tau (Ngāi Tahu,
anyone of the older generation about white- resource. Will the bottles they use be biode- Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri) is a Year 13 student at
baiting, they say the same thing: there was gradable, or will they also end up in the great Christ’s College.
certainly far, far more. Pacific Ocean garbage patch?
6 TE KARAKA KANA 2017
Tāngata Ngāi Tahu
People of Ngāi Tahu
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Publication November 2017
1. Buy at the Ngāi Tahu price, $24.99. Go to our online
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TO ORDER SEE OVER
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HE WHAKAARO
Nā WARD KAMO
Best person for the job
“This was the command thy love laid upon these Governors. That the law be
made one, that the commandments be made one, that the nation be made one,
that the white skin be made just as equal with the dark skin. And to lay down the
love of thy graciousness to the Māori that they dwell happily and that all men
might enjoy a peaceful life and the Māori remember the power of thy name.”
(Matiaha Tiramōrehu – Letter to Queen Victoria 1857)
These famous words from our tupuna
Tiramōrehu sum up our ongoing struggle
for recognition and equivalency for the past
175 years. Ngāi Tahu have held firmly to the
desire that Pākehā should be equal to Māori.
Our long-standing Treaty grievances with
the Crown were resolved through the pass-
ing of the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Act 1996,
and then the Ngāi Tahu Settlement Act in
1998. Twenty years later we have turned a
$170m settlement into a $1.3b taniwha. This
pūtea enables a dividend of around $50m
to be paid to the tribal representatives for
distribution to various Ngāi Tahu develop-
ment initiatives. The commercial standing of
Ngāi Tahu in the corporate sector is second
to none.
Underpinning this financial success has
been a firm adherence by the tribal repre-
sentatives to the policy of “the best person
for the job”. If we return to the words of
Tiramōrehu, “… that the white skin be made
just as equal with the dark skin ...”, this policy
fits perfectly; at least at face value.
Why “best person for the job”? Well the
history of Ngāi Tahu is long – far longer
than the magical year 1840. Yet it’s that
year and the subsequent 25 years that saw
Ngāi Tahu go from the sole owner of 80%
of Te Waipounamu to virtually landless. The
history of this loss is well documented and
well understood.
The loss was unlawful, unconscionable,
and unquestionable; and this wasn’t lost on
the Crown at the time. Subsequent efforts
to recover that which was promised were
either ignored, legislated against, or just
“forgotten about”. Given that ethnographers
were predicting the elimination of Māori,
the “stick your head in the sand” policy was
politically expedient.
8 TE KARAKA KANA 2017It was not until 1991, with the immor-
tal words of the Waitangi Tribunal “… that
in acquiring from Ngāi Tahu 34.5 million
acres, more than half the land mass of
New Zealand, for £14,750, and leaving them
with only 35,757 acres, the Crown acted
unconscionably and in repeated breach of
the Treaty of Waitangi” that redress for the
staggering loss of land would commence.
And the rest, of course, is history.
Or is it?
The quote about “skins” from Tiramōrehu
is about equivalency. It is not about homo-
geneity. The efforts by Tiramōrehu and
subsequent rangatira clearly indicate the Our 1000-year history is replete with front of every role we seek to remunerate?
Ngāi Tahu desire to remain “Ngāi Tahu”. It Ngāi Tahu overcoming considerable odds Are we still hesitant to assert our identity as
was about an economic and social base in to survive and thrive. From the decision Ngāi Tahu both externally and internally?
which to engage the world equal with the to leave Whāngārā, the decision to leave At $1.3b in wealth we now have the
“white skin”. Te Whanganui-a-Tara, and move south, to economic and political clout to set the agen-
The desire to find “the best person for the the eventual establishment of our power- da for ourselves. We should wield that politi-
job” is Ngāi Tahu pragmatism. It recognised, base, Ngāi Tahu people made the decisions cal and economic capital for all it’s worth.
with a once-small base, that we needed to for better or worse. And wāhine were inte- We have more than 150 years of margin-
look to wherever the skill lay to run the pūtea gral to that. How many of us descend from alisation to overcome. We should take an
on behalf of our iwi. That began with Sid the great Ngāi Tahu wāhine Tūhaitara and unashamed stance on what’s important to us
Ashton’s appointment as first CEO. But it’s Irakehu? Can it really be that only 20% are as Ngāi Tahu, and ensure that is reflected in
only half the story. “Best person for the job” capable of being on our boards in this day the people who work for us.
was also a political stance. It sought to defy and age? I’m not so sure about that. With at least 58,000 people who iden-
the expectation that Māori were too imma- Dr Eruera Prendergast-Tarena (Ngāi tify as Ngāi Tahu, we can and should take
ture to handle large sums of money, that we’d Tahu, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau a Apanui) a more dominant role on our commercial
drink our settlement, make terrible invest- succinctly challenges the “best person for boards and in our commercial manage-
ment decisions, and generally muck up. But the job” policy when he says: ment. Tiramōrehu wanted equality for the
the policy also divided Ngāi Tahu. Some ““Best person” can be the most margin- “skins”. But I’m pretty sure he never thought
predicted it would see the Iwi lose control of alising two words in our language if it’s not those words might have to be applied within
its own affairs. It has proven detractors both grounded in our reality and culture or recog- Ngāi Tahu.
right and wrong. nising our strengths …”
But 20 years since settlement, we must What are we saying to our Ngāi Tahu
ask the question – has the policy now served people every time we reject them for a role Ward Kamo (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga
its purpose? Shouldn’t the true measure of and then hand that role to a non-Ngāi Tahu? Chatham Island, and Scottish decent) grew
the “best person” policy no longer be our They are not the best people to work in their up in Poranui (Birdlings Flat) and South
financial success, but the confident appoint- own organisation? We need to be careful Brighton, Christchurch. Leaving University
ment of Ngāi Tahu to management roles? of disempowering ourselves with our own with a BA and PG Dip in Natural Resources,
Across Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu boards words. The narrative of “best person” must Ward’s career path has been varied, at times
eye raising, and ultimately rewarding.
we have 55 directors, of whom 42% are be rejected, and quickly. That doesn’t mean
Ngāi Tahu. Frankly, that’s not a particu- rejection of non-Ngāi Tahu who want to work He has worked with Te Rūnanga o
larly egregious percentage. However, across for us. We should be as embracing of our Ngāi Tahu (Ngāi Tahu Holdings
Corporation), and the Ngāti Mutunga o
Ngāi Tahu Holdings (NTH) the numbers tauiwi as we’ve ever been.
Wharekauri Iwi Trust as General Manager.
depart more dramatically. Just 35% of our But the broader question is: how much of He is currently working with Bayleys as
boards are Ngāi Tahu. Clearly Ngāi Tahu have our identity and cultural expertise is incor- National Director of Tū Whenua – the
a fair way to go before they are considered porated into our requirements for those Bayleys Māori business division.
“best people”. who wish to serve us? We should be asking Ward will be a regular columnist in
Meanwhile, our wāhine make up just applicants whether they have knowledge and TE KARAKA offering a perspective on issues
22% of our appointed boards. For NTH that understanding of our tikanga as part of their and politics of significance to Māori.
number drops to 19% across all boards. suite of skills. Why isn’t this at the fore-
TE KARAKA KANA 2017 9Dad mentions Jimo Te Aika, Henry Jacobs, and Rima Bell. Aunty
Rima was one of the few surviving elders who could recall the
Ngāi Tahu Claim, its history, and the issues that surrounded the
establishment of the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board. What we forget
WAI 27
is that the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board was not popular amongst
Te Tīmatanga o Te Kerēme our people, and that its creation under the Labour Government had
created a division within the tribe and in Tuahiwi. There had been
two embezzlement scandals in its history, and in the 1970s our
Upoko, Pani Manawatu, went with other Ngāi Tahu elders to support
the Frank Winter submission for a perpetual payment of $20,000
because the 1944 Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board Act did not take into
account interest and inflation. The economist Professor John Ward
estimated that in 1986 the Trust Board’s $1 received was worth less
than 6 cents in relation to its 1944 purchasing power. The accumu-
lated loss of wealth from 1944 was $2,759,200.
Nā Dr TE MAIRE TAU Aunty Rima’s advice to Dad at that time was that he needed to
make sure that James (Jimo) Te Aika and Here Korako were there to
support him. Both men were seen as mātāmua and as holding senior
lines within our pā. Here gave Dad his support, but he wanted to
IN 1986 MY FATHER, RAKIIHIA TAU, FILED THE NGĀI TAHU CLAIM spend his twilight years enjoying life, as he had spent much of his
to the Waitangi Tribunal. The hearings began at Tuahiwi in August time raising his children as a sole parent. Jimo actively supported my
1987, initially at Rangiora High School, and then, as the grind of hear- father during these years. So too did Hilary Te Aika. Dad’s brother-in-
ings began and tribal members returned to work, they were held on law, Henry Jacobs, regularly supplied sheep and beef for the ringaw-
the Tuahiwi Marae itself. era at the back in the kāuta. Again, the lesson here was that the men
The following paper is my father’s account of the events of this of the marae understood their roles, and it was their job to supply the
time. It bears reflection because it describes a world that has slowly meat, kaimoana, and wood; and to be able to butcher and prepare the
been eroded and is fast disappearing. What is strongly evident is his food in the kāuta for the hāngī or pots. The actual kitchen and dining
“ture-wairua” and his faith. Today, there is a constant call for a return room was left to the women, although the younger men would help
to traditional karakia and rituals. Rangatahi feel nervous about when needed.
Christian beliefs, as if it’s possible to understand the natural world Although Dad called Aunty Rima a kaikaranga, she was really his
of atua while living in an urban environment. Yet what is forgotten taua and advisor. Aunty Rima did karanga when she had to, but she
is the notion of faith, and that in Tuahiwi, Te Muka, and Moeraki, tended to avoid this duty as she had asthma, and it was also seen as an
the community leadership was geared around the church. By my omen if a kaikaranga broke. Aunty Rima was able to fill in key gaps for
father’s time and certainly in my childhood, the only regular place the Ngāi Tahu Claim, such as the role of her ancestor Teoti Metahau,
that the Treaty and Kemp’s Deed were spoken of was during church who filed the first Ngāi Tahu claim to Queen Victoria in 1848. She
at our marae. Those discussions were held and led by our Āpotoro, could explain the background to the argument between her Uncle
Poia Manahi, and Upoko, Pani Manawatu. Outside of our marae and Te Ruapohatu (Stone) Pitama with Rangitāne and Ngāti Toa, and
church, very few spoke about the Ngāi Tahu Claim and the Treaty of the 1925 Ngāi Tahu hui, which established the Ngāi Tahu whakapapa
Waitangi. In fact, in our time there weren’t too many Ngāi Tahu. file base and the Ngāi Tahu Trust Board. Aunty Rima’s grandfather,
In the pā, whether it was Rāpaki or Te Muka, Tuahiwi or Port Levy, Ihakara Karaitiana, had written a booklet on the Ngāi Tahu Claim
everything started and ended with whakamoemiti. Pōwhiri consisted which he gave to Harry Evison, who used it as the basis for his thesis
of the tangi, the speech of welcome, and whakamoemiti, followed by and the eventual evidence he presented to the Waitangi Tribunal.
hīmene and then kai. Whakamoemiti simply “cleared the way”, and The kaikaranga during this period were Jane Manahi, Ruahine
simplified the process to manaaki. Two hours of whakamoemiti were Crofts, and Aroha Reriti-Crofts. Again, the church was the common
not unusual. bond.
Re-reading my father’s paper brings to mind the fact that when My recollection of this period is of the grinding work that Dad,
Dad filed his claim, some of our key elders had passed away. The loss Tā Tipene, and others undertook. They all worked long hours and
of Poia Manahi, our Āpotoro, was a devastating blow for Tuahiwi into the night. Weekends didn’t really exist, and if they did, they were
and the South Island. The tangi was at the end of winter, and it was a rare luxury. I think Dad was most at ease when he went muttonbird-
cold and wet. Our loss was coupled with the ill health of our Upoko, ing, eeling, and whitebaiting – which were really long, drawn-out
Pani Manawatu. Likewise, the backbone of our cookhouse, Tasman days of labouring – but at least it was physical. I remember when Dad
Pitama, had died the year before. And, as Dad explains, old Jim Tau came to Port Levy to help us shift into the bach and he spent most of
had passed away and many more were to follow over the next decade. his time on his on his hands and knees weeding the gardens late into
If Tuahiwi was to move on any major issue, this was not the time. But the night. He just worked. I do wonder now whether he regretted the
as the saying goes, tai-timu, tai-pari – the tide goes in and the tide time he missed with his family, and if this was his way of apologising.
goes out; and a new generation of leaders followed with John and I regret that our time together was always about the Claim, and not
Ruahine Crofts surrounded by a host of elders. on proper matters that fathers and sons should have enjoyed. Our
I think Dad would want me to give thanks for the help he had from meetings were always a matter of “This is what we have to do next,
the ringawera of that time. Alamein Scholtens headed the wharekai, Te Maire”.
with Patricia Anglem as the matriarch at the back. Joy Bond, Ngawini There are messages in this recollection and lessons to be learnt.
Hack, and Tokomaru Hammond kept the back going along with Joe Faith stands at the centre of Dad’s account; faith and belief in
Crofts, Bull Tau, Hoani Pitama, and Makarini Pitama, who worked the ourselves and our people. Also, our people understood their roles,
cook house. Marsden and Janet Reuben were there to help, and so too responsibilities, and obligations to their ancestors, to each other, and
was Colleen Pitama. to their community. The lessons not learnt were about whānau.
10 TE KARAKA KANA 2017Volume 1: Te Tīmatanga o Te Kerēme WAI 27,
lodged by Henare Rakiihia (Rik) Tau
Ngāi Tahu Claim Processes Wai 27: How I became the claimant, and how I established
the Ngāi Tahu “A-Team” that presented the evidence to the Waitangi Tribunal.
Nā RIK TAU
Members of the Ngāi Tahu Negotiation ‘A-Team’: Back Row (left to right): Kuao Langsbury, Trevor Howse, Edward Ellison.
Front Row (left to right): Tā Tipene O’Regan, Charlie Crofts, Henare Rakiihia Tau.
Notification
Stephen O’Regan then Maurice Pohio phoned me, stating that Ngāi Tūāhuriri. My pōua had fought to have the Kemp’s Deed of
as Chair and Deputy of the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board they Purchase recognised, and an outcome of that was the establishment
had resolved to ask me to be the person to lodge the Ngāi Tahu of the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board.
Claim under the Treaty of Waitangi Act for breaches of the Treaty I immediately phoned my uncle Pani Manawatu, who was an
of Waitangi that prejudicially affected Māori. This was in May Āpotoro of our church, and the Upoko of Ngāi Tūāhuriri.
1986. O’Regan was working for the Conservation Department at I was an ākonga of our Hāhi, and very familiar with the whakapapa
the time, so that had eliminated him from being a claimant. I of our history. Our Hāhi was built upon two pillars, or pou. Those pou
accepted. I was very familiar with the principles of the Treaty of were the Paipera Tapu and the Treaty of Waitangi. Our whakapono
Waitangi and the history of broken promises made by the Crown was simple: Whakapono i te Matua, kotahi, te Tama kotahi te Wairua
to our ancestors. I grew up with the Crown’s dishonesty to the tapu kotahi me ngā Anahera pono me te māngai Āe. The importance
Treaty of Waitangi. My parents were members of the Hāhi Rātana, of what they represented in te Ture Wairua and te Ture Tangata was
and so were all my uncles, aunties, and the leaders of our hapū, always clear.
TE KARAKA KANA 2017 11In September 1986 ... the Tom Te Weehi judgment was
released by the High Court. It found that our customary
rights were protected in law, as Tom Te Weehi was found
not guilty of taking pāua from Motunau in excess of
fishing regulations that none of us were aware of. I had
earlier given him a tuku moana or a customary and
Treaty of Waitangi right to take a feed for himself and I returned to the marae, and sat down on the paepae to wait, as the
whānau. I knew we owned the fish and fishery, as our whānau pani had not returned home from the urupā. I went to sleep
ancestors reserved our mahinga kai in the Kemp’s and when I woke, everything was over. So I said to the whānau, I will
go to the hotel and have a drink. When I arrived at the hotel a phone
Deed of Sale and Purchase. Also, they were reserved call came for me, telling me that Pōua Jim Tau had died. I arranged to
from sale under Article 2 of the Treaty of Waitangi. go with the whānau to take the body of our whanaunga to the marae at
Rāpaki, and to also take the wife of Poia Manahi with us; all arranged
for 2 pm the next day. I slept soundly that night, as well the next three
nights at the tangi of our whanaunga. I had to travel to Wellington on
the day of his tangi; that was a Friday. By then I had fully recuperated
Inoi for the tasks in Wellington.
I spent two hours in prayer, seeking strength and protection for I was a permanent employee at the local meat works of Borthwicks
the challenges before me as I would be walking with the ancestors. and the CFM Plant in Belfast, working in a very highly-paid position.
I would need spiritual and whānau support. Tests of trials and tribula- I knew I could not do the work as the claimant if I was working, so I
tions would be many, but the greatest strength for me would be my applied for a year’s dispensation, thinking that would be enough time
own whakapono. I had my own whānau support – brothers, sisters, to present our case and return back into paid employment. That was
cousins, and sons, in particular Te Maire. He was studying our history what I thought would be my contribution as the first claimant, and it
of the South Island Māori at the University of Canterbury, which was my first miscalculation. The evidence and hearings for our claim
incidentally was the doorway to trained researchers. Whakamoemiti took four years. So I was paid off after the one year, and I received my
would always be before me in all things. superannuation contributions, which came in handy for paying bills.
My media release was for an impending claim to be lodged on At that time I only had historian Harry Evison with the necessary
behalf of Ngāi Tahu whānui. It was of national interest, as our takiwā research skills, and I knew I would have to build up a team around me,
spread over half of the land mass of New Zealand. Many European which was my priority. I immediately needed people from Tuahiwi
organisations wanted to know what we were claiming, and whether with me. I first phoned my relation Jimo Te Aika, then Aunty Rima Bell
our claim would affect their property rights. This commenced to be a kaikaranga for me, and asked them to join me with the claim.
a continuous round of public meetings for the next three years Nō te mea ko te hōnore te pono me te whakaaro pai, tētahi ki tētahi
explaining very clearly with my public utterances that we were not ngā kai here kai hono, te whakaaro kei roto i te Tiriti o Waitangi. I was
claiming privately-owned land held by individuals, as our claim was drawing on the relationships of my teachings within our Hāhi. Many
not to create further injustices by righting past injustices. Only the more were to follow.
Government could right the wrong, as they held or claimed owner- Trevor Howse was a volunteer at that time, working with me as
ship of all the family jewels of New Zealand. secretary of our rūnanga on Māori land tenure and the difficulties that
Māori land and we as owners were faced with. I noticed he was attend-
Lodging the Statement of Claim ing all the meetings requested of me. I asked him why was he not at
I officially lodged the claim with the Waitangi Tribunal during the work. He said to me, “How can I support you if I am at work? I have
tangi of our Deputy Upoko, Poia Manahi, who was also the Āpotoro handed in my notice to help out.” Wide-ranging offers of help were
Takiwā of Te Waipounamu. I discussed the words for our claim with continually coming from members of the wider Ngāi Tahu whānau
my relation Kūkupa Tirikātene while attending the tangi. Hence offering to support the tasks to right the wrongs imposed upon our
the Statement of Claim begins with a prayer: E Ngā Mana E Ngā ancestors. This created a dilemma. I was not in paid employment and
Kārangaranga O Ngā Herenga Waka Katoa Tēnā Koutou I Raro I neither was Trevor. It was wrong to have two of us unemployed doing
Te Maru O Te Matua Tama Wairua Tapu Me Nga Anahera Pono... Then the work for the claim. Behind the scenes, I asked our secretary to put
[solicitor for Ngāi Tahu] Mike Knowles wrote up the Statement of Trevor on a wage if possible, and also requested this from my fellow
Claim, and faxed it to me for my signature. This always took place board members. They agreed, so Trevor was employed. It made me
for me after 3 am, – the time I was getting home from the tangi to think about the people who would be required to assist us in our
do these things before returning back to the marae at 7 am to be research and help pay the costs. Miracles do happen, and they were
on the paepae. People from all over the North Island as well from well documented in our church.
the Chatham Islands and South Island all came. I asked one of our As an example of my strategy, I approached our retired county
Āpotoro, Mano White, to pray for the Statement of Claim and myself. clerk Hamish McKenzie to assist me. I wanted him to research all the
This he did, and that day our senior Āpotoro of our Hāhi buried Poia Māori land records for information relevant to our lands. He asked
Manahi in the Urupā Kai a te Atua. That was on, I think, 1 September me, “What can you pay me, Rik?” I said, “Ten cents an hour more than
1986; although the Statement of Claim is dated 26 August. When I.” He said “How much is that, Rik?”, and I said, “Ten cents an hour.”
they left this marae to go to the Urupā Kai a Te Atua, I took the So he said, “Well, how about giving me petrol money for travel?” I put
signed Statement of Claim to Sidney Boyd Ashton, the secretary of that request to our secretary, which he accepted.
the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board, for him to give to Mike Knowles. How to pay for the claim expenses for employing lawyers and
I then drove home. The next thing I remembered was that I was in the experts was continually on my mind. What I and my team thought
country, and I noticed our Reserve Torotoroa. I was in Leithfield. So was a possible miracle occurred in September 1986, when the
12 TE KARAKA KANA 2017Tom Te Weehi judgment was released by the High Court. It found that
our customary rights were protected in law, as Tom Te Weehi was
found not guilty of taking pāua from Motunau in excess of fishing
regulations that none of us were aware of. I had earlier given him a
tuku moana or a customary and Treaty of Waitangi right to take a feed
for himself and whānau. I knew we owned the fish and fishery, as our
ancestors reserved our mahinga kai in the Kemp’s Deed of Sale and
Purchase. Also, they were reserved from sale under Article 2 of the
Treaty of Waitangi.
High Court Judgment on Tom Te Weehi,
and how to pay for legal costs
From reading the judgment of the Tom Te Weehi case, I identified the
positives and also the negatives. I immediately convened a meeting
at Rāpaki to protect our mana tuku iho, our heritage rights reserved
from sale in the words mahinga kai which were rights and not privi-
leges that belonged to certain members of Ngāi Tahu only. I was an
owner in all those mahinga kai reserves the Crown granted, so I had
no intention of letting anyone steal what was reserved for us, let alone
what our tūpuna wanted reserved and were denied in a breach of the Rik at Tuahiwi, 3 December 1989.
Treaty of Waitangi. From that judgment I had invited representatives
of the (then) Ministry of Fisheries (MFish). I welcomed, they replied,
and then I told them that in view of the Tom Te Weehi case, we as reply was not what we wanted to hear, so we thought to seek another
Ngāi Tahu whānui needed to make some decisions first to protect opinion. Among our discussions the name David Palmer came up as a
our fishing rights before they could speak. This could only be done top-line lawyer. I said I knew him, and Pura Parata also recommended
by placing a rāhui over the whole of our coastline from, I think, the him. I made contact with him for an appointment. On the due date,
Hurunui to Ashburton, until we could convene a meeting with repre- Trevor Howse, Jimo Te Aika, and I walked across to Weston Ward &
sentatives of all of our marae within the takiwā of Ngāi Tahu. This was Lascelles to state our case to David Palmer. I took with me the details
adopted as an interim measure to allow us to sort out the web around of Kemp’s Purchase reserving our fishery and mahinga kai resources;
ownership that MFish had created with our fisheries. Once we had told him what mahinga kai really meant, and that was not plantations
agreed to this, then we could deal with MFish in due time. That judg- as the Pākehā stated; and also showed him the Tom te Weehi judg-
ment had the possibility that our ownership rights could be interpret- ment. I also said that I was to go to the Muriwhenua fisheries claims
ed to be a Māori right, rather than a tūrangawaewae or mana whenua before the Waitangi Tribunal in Kaitaia to give them support in their
right to identified and legitimate owners. Hence the rāhui first. hearing. David said he would read the information and tell us where
we stood in a week’s time. This extended out to another week, and
Fishing assets then we went to see him. He told us to “Sit down, shut up, and listen.”
Our conclusions from the Tom Te Weehi case and strategies were That got me into a defensive position straight away, but we sat and
determined by our small team, which consisted of Trevor Howse, listened for almost two hours of lecturing as if we were naughty boys.
Jimo Te Aika, and Peter Ruka. Our strategy was that we would use our In brief, he told us we were to be seen as leaders, not radicals. He
customary rights as per the Tom Te Weehi case, and fish for orange never to my recollection stated it was an illegal act. He said he would
roughy, a highly-priced fish, selling them in Fiji where [General write up a statement for us to take to Kaitaia in the Muriwhenua fish-
Sitiveni] Rabuka had seized control to protect their Aboriginal rights eries claim before the Waitangi Tribunal. I replied by saying very little
– whanaungatanga. We had the support of all people who were flock- but I got to the heart of the issue and with dignity and with tongue
ing to us, Ngāi Tahu fishers, etc. Support existed from the meetings in cheek I said, “Thank you very much for your advice and for your
we were having upon the Ngāi Tahu marae, as well as support from offer of assistance. You are now employed to represent us and your
Jim Elkington and his uncle Rangi from Te Tau Ihu o te Waka. Also, cheque for payment is on the same boat as our fish.” I told Sidney
many of our kaumātua were in favour of this method of paying the Boyd Ashton and our board members, and hence David became the
bills that were before us. But when we got back home to our marae full-time lawyer representing us. Our secretary had to find funds for
here in Tuahiwi, our people looked at it differently. They saw me David’s expertise, and during the Claim period, we would find that
as the claimant for the whole of Ngāi Tahu whānui, and the need to expertise to be tremendous.
protect me and my status as the claimant first. They requested that Our team was getting larger. At this point we had Michael Knowles
we get a legal opinion so that I as the claimant would not find myself and David Palmer as lawyers, with Harry Evison as a historian, and
in trouble and possibly jailed before we had commenced the hearings the possibility of my son Te Maire. Kuku Karaitiana, who worked for
before the Waitangi Tribunal. the Justice Department in Wellington, was able to inform us on what
I asked Mike Knowles for his legal expertise on our proposal. His we had to do to comply with Government policies.
TE KARAKA KANA 2017 13Above: From left: Tā Tipene O’Regan, Trevor Howse and Paul Temm QC; above right: Rik with Bob Whaitiri at the Tribunal Hearings, Te Rau Aroha, Awarua February 1988.
Building the team Chick McHugh, convened an in-house meeting with Paul Temm.
I met Paul Temm QC for the first time as one of our lawyers at a confer- When they adjourned, I saw an opportunity. So I commenced to open
ence convened by the Waitangi Tribunal in Wellington. We were there the proceedings with whakamoemiti, and during the hymn I went
to discuss the hearing protocols for all parties presenting evidence to Monita to hongi, and I said, “Ka hoatu au te mauri o te marae ki a
to the Waitangi Tribunal upon our marae at Tuahiwi. David Palmer koe.” At the end of a week-long session of hearing evidence, Bishop
attended with me. Paul Temm stood up before the Tribunal and [Manuhuia] Bennett took the whakamoemiti, and during the hymn
started to tell them how our kawa would be operating on our marae. Monita would hongi with me and the mauri o te marae was returned.
I had only met him about 20 minutes before, so you can imagine what God saved us all.
I was thinking about this self-appointed Pākehā mouthpiece of our Sure enough when we got to Temuka for the hearings, their Upoko
marae when he had never been to it and I did not know him. I stood Jack Reihana tapped me on the shoulder and said, “What’s this about
up and made it quite clear to all present that Paul Temm had no speak- giving the mana of our marae to them?” I explained what I had put
ing rights or authority to speak for our marae, that I was the person in place at Tuahiwi. Like me, Jacko was also a member of the Hāhi
who shall make all those decisions. I received many reports from staff Rātana, and so I knew we could not argue against God. So our Hāhi
members of the many Government departments that left me suspi- and our beliefs overcame such obstacles. Faith in God overcame the
cious of Paul. problems, but they had to be addressed and overcome. Such concerns
Dr Maarire Goodall, as the Director of the Waitangi Tribunal had for the little picture drive the big pictures. Any issue of tikanga had to
to implement the tikanga o te Tari Justice. Maarire said that to hold be overcome with good reason and compassion.
a meeting on a marae, the Waitangi Tribunal must have the authority
to determine the rules of such a hearing or words to that effect, so the The State-Owned Enterprises Act 1986
marae must give the Waitangi Tribunal mana over the marae. Well, Stephen O’Regan came down to inform us about the process that was
this caused immediate problems to me and to our tikanga and kawa. required for us to prevent the Crown’s land assets from being sold in
However, I remembered discussions we had within the māramatanga the privatisation policies of the then Labour Government. Somehow
of our Hāhi and the talks with my uncle and Upoko Pani Manawatu. we had to identify all lands within the takiwā of Ngāi Tahu by the end
Nā te Pō tutiro atu ki te Ao Mārama. Only people create problems, not of the following day, the deadline set by Government, and we had to
God. The answer became very simple to me when I reminded myself register them with the Waitangi Tribunal. Fortunately I knew the local
of it, because of all the marae that would buck giving the mana of the staff of the Department of Lands and Survey, so I asked Peter Ruka
marae to the Waitangi Tribunal, it would be us Ngāi Tūāhuriri and and Trevor Howse to go across and make an urgent appointment for
our relations at Temuka. This was the tikanga I developed for giving me at either 8 or 9 am the next day. I met one of their decision-makers
the mana of the marae to the Waitangi Tribunal. Before any opening the next day at 9 am. I put the statutory requirement as required by
of the tribunal hearings when they sat on our marae, I would open Government to them and they agreed to comply. They said to organ-
with whakamoemiti, then at the end I would have a hīmene. During ise all the fax machines in a certain place not far from their offices in
the hīmene I would go to one of the Tribunal members, hongi, and Cathedral Square, and they would have their offices around the South
hand to him the mauri of the marae, and it would make the task easier Island email them to that office and they would fax them. All of their
if I gave it to Monita Delamere, who was also Ngāi Tahu, a Tribunal emails identifying Crown-owned lands in our takiwā were received
member, and a relation. A miracle happened on the first hearing upon by us between the hours of 11 am and 4 pm on that day, filling up
our marae. For reasons unknown to me, the chairman of the Tribunal, several boxes. Trevor Howse was booked on a flight to Wellington to
14 TE KARAKA KANA 2017Somehow we had to identify all lands within the takiwā
of Ngāi Tahu by the end of the following day, the deadline
set by Government, and we had to register them with the
Waitangi Tribunal. Emails identifying Crown-owned lands
in our takiwā were received by us between the hours of
11 am and 4 pm on that day. Trevor Howse was booked
on a flight to Wellington to deliver these records to printing wrong messages. It was preferable if we could have a one-
Dr Maarire Goodall of the Waitangi Tribunal. I think stop shop media person. David Palmer then had a meeting with The
Maarire and Trevor finished stamping receipt of the Press (Christchurch) editors, and the outcome was that they attached
Jane England to us as their reporter. This was another miracle, as we
letters at 11 pm, which met the deadlines set by needed only to talk to her. It did not always happen that way, but we
Government. This prevented the Crown from disposing discussed our strategies and public relations obligations with Jane,
of the Crown’s properties. and that removed a lot of racial media reporting, guesswork and
speculation by outside media personnel. Jane attended our strategy
meetings and was treated as a member of our family.
Okains Bay’s important part in our hearings protests
deliver these records to Dr Maarire Goodall of the Waitangi Tribunal. We opened the proceedings to commemorate Waitangi Day at Okains
I think Maarire and Trevor finished stamping receipt of the letters at Bay in about 1973. This was a leadership move determined by Murray
11 pm, which met the deadlines set by Government. This prevented Thacker, Hori Brennan, and Tip Manihera; and supported by our
the Crown from disposing of the Crown’s properties. It does sound Upoko Uncle Barney, Poia Manahi, and myself as secretary of the
similar to the sale of shares in the current SOE sale of water power rūnanga. This was a first in New Zealand. The year prior to that, as a
generation companies. We ensured that the Crown of that era had Meat Worker and union advocate, I, alongside a colleague, advocated
resources to be used as a settlement with us when our hearings were that our workers recognise the meaning of Waitangi Day and take
completed and the Tribunal had written up its report and recommen- time out on that day to study the history of it. This was agreed by
dations. I asked all marae to facilitate discussions to identify lands in resolution, so we had for the first time in New Zealand local workers
their takiwā from these surplus Crown lands that the Crown desired taking an unpaid holiday in Canterbury to commemorate the Treaty
to sell and could be used in a settlement. We would eventually land of Waitangi. So when we had Waitangi Day commemorations at
bank them. Okains Bay, we had volunteer workers to assist this small community
leading the way in New Zealand to recognise Waitangi Day. It was after
Land bank for Ngāi Tahu this that Waitangi Day became a statutory holiday. So you can see why
Arising from this process, David Palmer observed that the public comments from me “that there was a better class of citizen in
Christchurch Polytechnic had advertised that they were selling the South Island” were made. So each year some of us would travel
off lands. David put an injunction in and notified the Crown of our over to Okains Bay and welcome the public to the museum marae,
action, as the sale was contrary to why we identified all Crown lands – address the principles of the Treaty, paddle the waka, and participate
to prevent the Crown from selling them off. This action created what in activities designed to commemorate the Treaty of Waitangi and
was then a process in which if the Crown desired to sell property fundraise for the Okains Bay Museum.
then they had to notify us through the Trust Board. If we desired to However, protests started in and around the 1980s, with people
retain such lands, we would notify the Crown and say, “Hold it for stating clearly that New Zealand was Māori land and that the Treaty
use in a settlement.” This single step created what was called the of Waitangi was a FRAUD. In 1986, some protesters cut some fences
Land Recovery Kōmiti, of which I was chair, and once again we were over there. In 1987 I sent word out to them that I wanted to see
all volunteers. The agreement reached with government allowed us them on the marae and discuss the Treaty of Waitangi with them. So
to land bank assets up to $40m. This continued after the Waitangi after the official pōwhiri to the Governor General’s representative
Tribunal hearings into the negotiations process that started in 1991. and replies, we had another pōwhiri to the protesters. Most of the
protesters were non-Māori. They heard what I said, then they replied.
Public Relations We listened to them. Stephen O’Regan was present. He said to me,
We needed to be able to communicate with the people in the South “I will reply to the Māori spokesperson, a descendant of Wahawaha.”
Island. My relationships with the Department of Internal Affairs, So with an effective response O’Regan dealt with the human frail-
which dated back to the early 1970s, came into play. I was assisting ties of the Tupuna Wahawaha, which quieted them all. Then I spoke
Garry Moore, Wally Stone, and many staff members; and so they about our claim seeking justice where justice was due, educating the
started to come to our Friday night weekly discussions. They saw the wider public about the Treaty so that it will speak for us all, and it will
need to assist, so funding was provided by the Department to employ come from the hearts of the people, which was a proverb of our Hāhi
a writer so that we could circulate information to all of our marae to the Treaty. I spoke about my history lessons at secondary school
and community organisations. We employed Shona Hickey to be our where our history teacher explained the history of New Zealand by
writer and called that newsletter TE KARERE. reading out the three principles of the Treaty and then saying; “There
Bill Gillies from Rāpaki, who worked for the Education is much we have to be ashamed about; the less said the better.” That
Department, attended our small team’s strategy meetings when he was it. The colonisation of New Zealand in about two minutes. Hence
could. He was friends with journalist and media personality Brian I was aware that the Treaty of Waitangi was unknown among the
Priestley, as well as David Palmer. The need existed for training us Pākehā population – therefore there was a need for a lot of education.
in media realities. So Brian attended our meetings as a volunteer,
and advised us on how to address the media and prevent them from Story continues on page 48.
TE KARAKA KANA 2017 15Settlement
Pēpi
This year marks the 20th
anniversary of the settlement
of Te Kerēme – the Ngāi Tahu
Claim. Since then Te Rūnanga
o Ngāi Tahu has continued to
grow alongside a generation
of rangatahi who enjoy the
opportunities our tīpuna
dreamed of – or not. Kaituhi
ANNA BRANKIN talks to four of
these rangatahi, all born in 1997
– the same year that the Deed
of Settlement was signed at
Takahanga Marae.
Aloise Reuben
Aloise Reuben (Ngāi Tahu – Ngāi Tūāhuriri) is the epitome
of ahi kā, born and raised at Tuahiwi. “I grew up 200
metres away from my marae, and we were always on
the pā,” she recalls. “I would be down there every week,
whether it was for a tangi, or a meeting that my parents
would be going to, and all of us pā kids would hang out
outside playing around.”
Growing up in the heart of Tuahiwi has given Aloise
a strong understanding of who she is – and who she
isn’t. When asked about her Ngāi Tahu identity, she
says, “I feel like I’ve had this question so many times on
application forms and in person. I always write about
how important it is to be connected, but in reality I am
Ngāi Tūāhuriri, I am a Reuben.”
Aloise draws a strong distinction between iwi and
hapū, and particularly between Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
and individual Papatipu Rūnanga. “Te Rūnanga was creat-
ed to make the Claim and receive the settlement,” she
explains. “What I would like to see for our iwi is for our
hapū to take back control of their resources and be able to
make their own decisions.”
Aloise acknowledges the opportunities that
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu have offered her, including part-
time employment with Te Taumatua and a Matakahi
Scholarship that supports her through her university
studies. However, she believes that individual hapū
should be empowered to offer these opportunities to
their members.
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